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2026

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2027

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2028

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Who is travelling?

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

A Taste of Japan - Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka

12 days
From Tokyo to Osaka
4.8
3 traveler reviews

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:
Food & Culinary
Savor the world one bite at a time
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Medium Intensity
Travelers should be comfortable with somewhat-demanding activities
Guided in English
Group Size 10 - 16
Ages 16+
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Tokyo

    Accommodation
    Hotel (Asakusa View Hotel)

    Optional Activities

    • Dinner at local izakaya-style Japanese restaurant
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  2. Day 2

    Tokyo

    Meals
    Lunch (Sushi lunch with fresh seafood)
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Asakusa View Hotel)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Tsukiji Outer Market
    • Visit Hamarikyu Gardens
    • Sushi lunch
    • Stroll through Kappabashi Street
    • Dessert street food tour on Nakamise Shopping Street, Asakusa

    Optional Activities

    • Dinner at Michelin-starred restaurants (advance booking required)
    Landmarks
    Tsukiji Outer Market
    Hamarikyu Gardens
    Kappabashi Street
    Nakamise Shopping Street
    Itinerary Image 1
  3. Day 3

    Tokyo

    Meals
    Lunch (Okonomiyaki - savoury pancake cooked on your own teppan at the table with expert instruction), Dessert (Japanese-style crepes, giant cotton candy or cute character-shaped ice cream from street food carts)
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Asakusa View Hotel)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Meiji Jingu shrine
    • Okonomiyaki lunch cooked at your table
    • Included dessert from Harajuku street food carts

    Optional Activities

    • Visit Asahi Beer Tower and Hall
    Landmarks
    Meiji Jingu
    Takeshita Street
  4. Day 4

    Tokyo to Takayama

    Meals
    Dinner (Traditional Japanese dinner cooked and served by host family at minshuku)
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Minshuku Sumire-so)

    Included Activities

    • Explore Sanmachi Suji district in Takayama
    • Visit Hida No Sato thatched roof village
    • Traditional Japanese dinner at minshuku

    Optional Activities

    • Purchase Ekiben (bento box meal) for the train journey
    • Try sake from local traditional sake distilleries
    Landmarks
    Sanmachi Suji District
    Hida No Sato
    Itinerary Image 1
  5. Day 5

    Takayama to Kanazawa

    Accommodation
    Hotel (Hotel Torifito Kanazawa)

    Included Activities

    • Morning market exploration in Takayama
    • Hida beef tasting - BBQ skewer and nigiri sushi style
    • Visit Shirakawago UNESCO World Heritage village
    • View gassho-zukuri farmhouses
    Landmarks
    Takayama Morning Market
    Shirakawago
    Itinerary Image 1
  6. Day 6

    Kanazawa

    Meals
    Lunch (Temaki sushi - cone-shaped sushi wrapped in toasted seaweed with choice of ingredients)
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Hotel Torifito Kanazawa)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Kenrokuen Garden
    • Temaki sushi lunch with choice of ingredients
    • Make wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionery)

    Optional Activities

    • Stroll through Higashichaya geisha district
    • Explore samurai district
    • Visit Myoryuji Temple (Ninja Temple)
    Landmarks
    Kenrokuen Garden
    Higashichaya District
    Myoryuji Temple
  7. Day 7

    Kanazawa to Kyoto

    Meals
    Dinner (Izakaya dinner - casual drinking establishment with lively, relaxed atmosphere similar to tapas bars, variety of small shared dishes with Japanese and international options)
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Via Inn Prime Kyotoeki Hachijoguchi)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Omicho market
    • Visit Nijo Castle
    • Visit Gion geisha district
    • Izakaya dinner with shared small dishes
    Landmarks
    Omicho Market
    Nijo Castle
    Gion District
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  8. Day 8

    Uji and Higashiyama

    Accommodation
    Hotel (Via Inn Prime Kyotoeki Hachijoguchi)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Byodoin Temple
    • Try matcha sweets and ice cream
    • Private tea ceremony in Higashiyama district
    • Learn to make matcha tea
    • Visit Kiyomizudera Temple
    Landmarks
    Byodoin Temple
    Higashiyama District
    Kiyomizudera Temple
    Itinerary Image 1
  9. Day 9

    Kyoto

    Meals
    Dinner (Teppanyaki - post-war Japanese cuisine where chef cooks in front of guests on a hot plate, entertainment involves watching the skilled chef prepare delicious food)
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Via Inn Prime Kyotoeki Hachijoguchi)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Nishiki Market
    • Visit Fushimi Inari Shrine entrance
    • Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum - learn about sake and taste varieties
    • Teppanyaki dinner
    Landmarks
    Nishiki Market
    Fushimi Inari Shrine
    Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum
  10. Day 10

    Kyoto to Osaka

    Accommodation
    Hotel (Shin-Osaka Washington Hotel Plaza), Hotel (Karaksa Hotel Grande Shin-Osaka Tower)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Osaka Castle
    • Street food tour through Shinsekai district
    Landmarks
    Osaka Castle
    Shinsekai District
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  11. Day 11

    Osaka

    Meals
    Dinner (Shabu-shabu - Japanese hot pot with thinly sliced meat and vegetables cooked in broth and served with dipping sauces)
    Accommodation
    Hotel (Shin-Osaka Washington Hotel Plaza), Hotel (Karaksa Hotel Grande Shin-Osaka Tower)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Namba Yasaka shrine
    • Explore Dotonbori area
    • Ride Umeda Sky Building
    • Shabu-shabu farewell dinner
    Landmarks
    Namba Area
    Namba Yasaka Shrine
    Dotonbori
    Umeda Sky Building
    Itinerary Image 1
  12. Day 12

    Osaka

    Meals
    Breakfast
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Operated by

Explore!

Number of tours

584

Age Range

16 to 85 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

92%

Explore Worldwide has over 40 years’ experience in creating expert-led small...

Read more

Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Traveler Reviews

4.8
Overall rating based on 3 Reviews
  • Itinerary
    5.0
  • Transport
    4.0
  • Guide
    5.0
  • Accommodation
    5.0
  • Food
    4.5
  • 4.5

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  • A
    September 8th, 2023
    4.7
    Oh, so many! Tepanyaki dinner was delicious, the last dinner in Osaka was an incredible meal. The homestay was...
    Show more
    Traveled in August 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    September 20th, 2023
    4.7
    The food, the places we saw
    Traveled in August 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • V
    May 26th, 2023
    5.0
    A wonderful exploration of Japan! We liked the mix of urban and rural environments. Our tour guide was fabulous....
    Show more
    Traveled in May 2023

What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
We couldn't find results
Try a different search term or ask a question to this adventure's experts
  • J

    Juan

    Asked on August 28th, 2025

    I am enquiring about single room bookings - I understand that there will be one night in shared rooms, but I would love to book a single room for the other nights. Can I also understand the extra add on activities I can do on this tour?

    Accommodation
    Single supplement
    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten August 2025

      As we are now close to the date of departure for this tour the tour itself and the single room would be on request. At this stage I am unsure as to if we would be able to confirm a single room for you until we created a booking and sent it off to check with our suppliers. They would then be able to let us know if all of the hotels have another single room available for you. This tour is classed as full on with a jam packed itinerary not leaving much time for optional activities, but everything listed in the itinerary is included in the price already.

    • J

      Juan

      TravelerWritten August 2025

      Since I will be traveling by myself I won't be able to fully commit to this tour unless I would be able to get a single room. Thank you for confirming that there are no option activities!

    • Explore!OperatorWritten August 2025

      The solo room needs to be requested, for us to do this we must put together a booking option with your details which in turn means that we require the request from you. When we have the booking request on here, we can then hold the option in with your details and check to see if there is a solo room available. If there is, the balance would be required to be paid immediately, however of course if it came back unavailable, we would advise you of this.

    • J
      2 more answers
  • A

    Allan

    Asked on April 28th, 2025

    How far do you have to walk each day?

    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten April 2025

      As the group explores Japan, we'll be getting our step count in. Whether we're exploring a city on a walking tour, visiting a local temple or simply getting from the metro or train station to our next hotel, we'll spend a lot of time walking and on our feet - comfortable shoes are a must.

  • G

    Gloria

    Asked on February 15th, 2023

    Do you have single rooms for solo travellers and if so, what is the single supplement charge.

    Accommodation
    Single supplement
    • Explore!OperatorWritten February 2023

      Single rooms are available, these are available from NZ$490. Please note that the single room is not available on night 4 where you stay in a traditional family Minshuku Iwatakan so they will be twin rooms with shared bathrooms.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Explore! with your enquiry, they usually respond within 1 day.

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 234965

  • Currency
    ¥
    Yen
    Japan
  • Plugs & Adapters

  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Japan. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Japan. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Japanese B encephalitis - Recommended for Japan. Ideally 1 month before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before May 3rd, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after May 3rd, 2026, a minimum payment of 10% is required to confirm your booking with Explore!. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 75 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Explore! will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Explore!" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec